Data is provided for 101 international urbanized areas (developed areas), including the 38 urbanized areas in the United States that had more than 1,000,000 residents in 2000, 1990 or 1980. Much of the non-US data is from Kenworthy & Laube (see notes below).

POPULATION DENSITY TRENDS

Among the 54 urbanized areas for which 1960 population density is available, 46 have experienced declines in density to 1990.

All urbanized areas outside the United States have experienced reductions in population density.

All 8 urbanized areas that have experienced population density increases are in the United States.

The top 10 and 15 of the 16 urbanized areas that have either gained population density or lost the least are in the United States (Munich ranks #11)

US and Australian urbanized areas are the least dense. Sampled Canadian urbanized areas are 2.2 times as US, while European are 4.2 times as dense. Asian urbanized areas are 14 times as dense as US and Australian urbanized areas.

All 63 surveyed urbanized areas had lower population densities in 1990 than in the first previous year for which there is data.

NEW POPULATION PER NEW LAND AREA

Asian urbanized areas expanded at by far the greatest densities. Seoul, Hong Kong, Surabaya, Jakarta and Manila expanded at densities from 36,000 to 74,000 per square mile.

The Singapore, Tokyo, Munich and Kuala Lampur urbanized areas have expanded at at from 10,000 to 18,000 per square mile.

The next six urbanized areas, Los Angeles, San Jose, Edmonton, Ottawa, Miami and Paris have expanded at over 5,000 per square mile. At 8,243 new residents per new square mile, Los Angeles rates the highest in North America. Edmonton, at 6,806 per square mile, has the highest density urban expansion in Canada.

Europe has experienced a decline of 1,400 in new population per new square mile. The United States and Australia have gained 2,200 to 2,400 per square mile, while Canada has gained 5,100. Asian urbanized areas have gained 37,000.